Conclusions and Agreements of the Follow-up Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership for the Americas (ECPA)

Transcription

1 1. Summary 11 countries and 3 international organizations, including the ECPA Clearinghouse operated by the Organization of American States, attended this follow-up meeting held at the Riviera Maya in Mexico, on May 19th and 20th. Participants agreed on the need and urgency for action to meet the challenges of the energy sector and contribute to climate change mitigation. In this regard, the governments in attendance agreed to work together on a long-term road map and to prepare a process towards a Second ECPA Ministerial Meeting (tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2015, preferably in January). Participants also agreed on the importance and need to support ECPA, as well as the opportunity to focus the work towards a Second Ministerial Meeting, through the configuration of an ECPA Work Program. Participants reviewed the background and progress of the ECPA pillars since its inception at the 2009 Summit of the Americas held in Trinidad and Tobago, and expressed different points of view aimed at identifying areas of opportunity in each of these pillars. In this regard, the governments: Agreed on the need to assess the efforts in other multilateral mechanisms and initiatives to channel cooperation towards expanding project funding sources, improving tracking on their progress and results, and avoiding duplication of cooperation activities. Identified efforts that can be taken to a higher level of coverage and impact, those which have not registered progress that could be taken up latter, as well as, new areas of opportunity for ECPA. 2. ECPA Pillars and Working Groups ENERGY EFFICIENCY - Energy efficiency and demand response - Region-wide policies: Page 1 of 5

2 i. Norms on energy efficiency labeling ii. Buildings - Solar water heating - Role of local governments - Expanding cooperation on cogeneration in industry and demand management systems [smart grids, distribution, losses, etc.] These areas are cross-cutting with other pillars such as energy infrastructure and renewable energy. - Efficiency and sustainable use of wood, based on the experience of countries that expressed interest in and need to diversify their energy matrix. This area is crosscutting with the energy poverty pillar. - Energy efficiency in the transport sector with the possibility of analyzing the introduction of the biofuels industry in the future. - SE4ALL, Mesoamerican Project, CEM-SEAD - Energy Efficiency Working Group RENEWABLE ENERGY - Mapping of potential and policy development: solar, wind and geothermal. - Bioenergy: research for sustainable development through the exchange of experiences and long-term case studies, including market development analysis. More efficient use of biomass by implementing new technologies. This issue may be related to the pillar energy poverty, by its significant social impact. - Best practices in community outreach and consultation, inclusion and community participation in the process of development of renewable energy projects. - Best environmental impact practices for renewable energy projects by specialized environmental protection agencies. - Sharing best practices in regulation and tools for of renewable energy integration to the grid. Potential cross-cutting work with the energy efficiency group and the energy infrastructure pillar. - IRENA, SE4ALL, OAS, OLADE, Mesoamerican Project, CEM Page 2 of 5

3 - Proposals: Specialized Projects Group*, Social Community outreach and consultation and Environmental Impact Group, Integration to the Grid Group**. EFFICIENT USE OF FOSSIL FUELS - Heavy Oil: research, inventories and databases. - Natural gas, unconventional hydrocarbons, carbon capture, use and storage. - Carbon Capture and Storage [enhanced recovery wells]. - Efficient transport of fossil fuels. - OLADE, Mesoamerican Project - Heavy Oil Working Group ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE - Share progress of various electrical integration systems to identify challenges and opportunities for cooperation and long-term collaboration. Examples: Andean Electrical Interconnection System (SINEA) and the Electrical Interconnection System for Central American Countries (SIEPAC), among others. - Demand management systems in the Southern Cone countries, distribution losses and smart grids. - Integration of renewable energy and clean fuels. - OLADE, CEPAL, CIER, ALADI, OAS, IRENA, Mesoamerican Project. - Initiative Connecting the Americas Efficient and safe transportation of fossil fuels Page 3 of 5

4 OTHER PILLARS: ENERGY POVERTY; SUSTAINABLE FOREST AND LAND USE; ADAPTATION - Islands vulnerability - Land use - Deforestation - Use of firewood - SIDS DOCK (UNFCCC), SE4ALL, IRENA, Mesoamerica Project. c. Next steps* - Develop of a proposal to unify the three pillars: define name and propose a paragraph to define the scope of this new pillar.** - Consider the creation of new working groups to follow up on these areas of interest. 3. Preparatory Process Toward a II ECPA Ministerial Meeting Page 4 of 5

5 Possible dates and venues for the three preparatory meetings Uruguay offered to host the sub-regional meeting for South America, which will be held on the fringes of the Regional Workshop: Policies for the promotion of a sustainable energy sector, Radisson Hotel Montevideo, on August It was suggested that the preparatory meetings in Central America and the Caribbean, take advantage of other regional events: - For Central America: The Meeting of Ministers of OLADE, which will be held later this year in El Salvador or the Ministerial Meeting of the CELAC which will be held in Costa Rica on a date to be determined. - Interest expressed by Guatemala to the Ministry of foreign affairs of Mexico to host a preparatory meeting was also taken into account. - For the Caribbean: The Dominican Republic will explore the possibility of carrying out the preparatory meeting on the fringes of CREF 2014 in October in Miami. - Interest expressed by Jamaica to the Ministry of foreign affairs of Mexico to host a preparatory meeting of this process was also noted. - Alongside, other forums will be analyzed. The invitation to each of these subsequent preparatory meetings could be open to maximize geographical proximity without limiting the participation of other countries. Conclusions and Agreements Documents of the first preparatory meeting: Mexico will send this presentation to the participants for further comments and suggestions. From this presentation a position paper will be drafted and shared it with all countries of ECPA by the Clearinghouse. Other documents: the rapporteur and the attendance list of this first meeting will be sent. Page 5 of 5